Kid Rock gives new home to injured Macomb veteran

Photo by David Angell for The Macomb Daily
Kid Rock greets U.S. Sgt. Davin Dumar and his wife, Dana, as he presents a new home in Macomb Township to the couple. The home is made possible through Pulte Homes and Operation Finally Home, a nonprofit that assists wounded veterans.

Kid Rock once again demonstrated his support for U.S. troops on Saturday evening as he teamed up with Pulte Homes and a nonprofit assisting wounded veterans to present a new home to a Macomb County Army veteran who lost the lower part of his right leg in combat in Afghanistan.

Mount Clemens native Sgt. Davin Dumar and his wife, Dana, were surprised as they walked into a model home only to see Kid Rock along with friends, relatives, the media and others waiting to greet them as they will receive a mortgage-free 2,600-square-foot colonial home near 22 Mile Road and Hayes in Macomb Township.

“First of all, welcome home,” said Rock to the stunned but smiling couple. “You are going to receive a fully furnished home, top to bottom. Thank you for your service.”

Dumar, who was released only Friday from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., was at a loss for words at the reception.

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“I don’t know what to say other than shock and amazement,” he said.

Dumar joined the Army in 2005 and was deployed to Afghanistan with the 1-25th SBCT in May 2011. While on patrol, he was injured in an attack when his unit engaged enemy forces and he was struck by an improvised explosive device. His injury resulted in the amputation of his right leg above the knee and damage to both his right and left hands.

The house donation is part of an ongoing project sponsored by Operation Finally Home, a Texas-based nonprofit that builds homes for wounded American troops. Founder Dan Wallrath — who was named one of CNN’s Heroes in 2010 for his efforts — met Kid Rock at a previous event and Rock suggested providing some houses for injured troops from Michigan.

They contacted Bloomfield Hills-based Pulte Home, which is donating the cost of construction of the home thanks to the generosity of Pulte’s contractors vendors, and housing partners. Construction will begin soon and is expected to be finished by the end of the year in the 203-lot Westminister Estates subdivision.

In fact, the couple thought they were being interviewed on Saturday for placement in the program when they were driven to a Pulte model home on Saturday. Instead, they were met by Dana’s parents, Larry and Laura Wille of Macomb Township, along with Dumar’s father, John, a teacher at Lutheran North High School in Macomb Township, and his 16-year-old daughter, Kara.

“This is awesome,” John Dumar said before the couple arrived. “My son always wanted to be in the Army, he was always kind of his own person, a very respectful young man.”

Larry and Laura Wille said they were grateful for the kindness demonstrated by Kid Rock, Pulte Homes and Operation Finally Home.

“We feel so blessed for the kids that someone can do something like this for them,” Larry Wille said. “With all of the difficulties they face, now they won’t have to worry about this.”

Sgt. Dumar said it was a “great surprise” to see Kid Rock when he walked into the model home.

“I’ve been a fan of his since I was little. I don’t think my dad knew that though,” he said with a laugh.

Kid Rock (Romeo native Bob Ritchie) has been a longtime supporter of the U.S. troop, performing concerts both in the United States and the Middle East and donating more than $400,000 to various efforts in the past year alone. He said he has just been in a fortunate position to be able to “answer the call” in aiding the military.

“I wanted to do something close to home,” he said. “My philosophy is — help your neighbor first.”

Kid Rock went on to say he was very impressed with the Operation Finally Home’s work in the past, especially when he did some research and discovered the nonprofit’s record of low overhead, meaning most of its resources go into providing housing.

Wallrath said he’s equally as excited to help a young couple.

“God inspired us to do this,” he said. “That’s the inspiration. Here we have a young man and woman who needed a little bit of help. That’s why we do it.”

Kid Rock also will provide some additional support to the couple.

Dumar said his immediate plans are to continue his recovery and physical rehabilitation. He doesn’t regret serving in the Army and said if he had to choose a career all over, he’d do it again. He hopes to go onto earn a degree in history, and Dana has plans to become a physical therapist. They plan to soon renew their vows as they begin a new life together, in a new home.